SBI IDs second officer involved in shooting

By JANNETTE PIPPIN - Daily News Staff

Published: Monday, October 7, 2013 at 02:33 PM.

Johnson said that under department policy, she is to receive a report on the status of the internal investigation within seven days of the incident and the investigation is to be completed within 30 days.

Johnson was not specific but said there were several officers placed on administrative leave following the incident according to procedure in such cases, some of whom are back at work.

“Not all of them are back on duty. There were several people placed on administrative leave,” she said.

Hardin’s condition was improved from last week. He underwent extensive surgery Wednesday and was previously listed in critical condition.

MOREHEAD CITY – A Morehead City police officer shot by a fellow officer last week during training continues to recover in the hospital as the investigation into the incident progresses.

Officer Garrett Hardin, 22, was listed in fair condition Monday at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, where he has been hospitalized since the Oct. 2 shooting.

Hardin was shot in the sternum while training in the parking lot outside the Morehead City Police Department. Family members have said he was not wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time.

The State Bureau of Investigation has identified the officer accused of the shooting as Marvin Willis III, according to Noelle Talley, public information officer for the N.C. Department of Justice.

The Morehead City Police Department, however, is not releasing or confirming the identification, citing the pending investigation.

“Our investigation is still open and we don’t believe it to be public record information (until the investigation is resolved),” said Morehead City Police Chief Wrenn Johnson.

There is an internal investigation under way by the police department as well as an investigation being conducted by the SBI, which is protocol when there is an officer-involved shooting.

Johnson said that under department policy, she is to receive a report on the status of the internal investigation within seven days of the incident and the investigation is to be completed within 30 days.

Johnson was not specific but said there were several officers placed on administrative leave following the incident according to procedure in such cases, some of whom are back at work.

“Not all of them are back on duty. There were several people placed on administrative leave,” she said.

Hardin’s condition was improved from last week. He underwent extensive surgery Wednesday and was previously listed in critical condition.